Mass noun: Difference between revisions
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A '''mass noun''' is a noun which refers to something without clear boundaries or individual members, like ''milk'' and ''gold''. The opposite of a mass noun is called a [[count noun]]. | |||
===Comments=== | |||
In English, mass nouns cannot be pluralized (cf. ''*milks'') and cannot be used with the [[indefinite article]] (cf. ''*a milk'') or with [[numeral]]s (cf. ''*one milk''). | |||
Mass nouns like ''cattle'' and ''furniture'' are sometimes called [[collective noun]]s because they refer to a collection of individuals, but not to any one individual. | |||
===Synonym=== | |||
[[mass term]] | |||
===See also=== | |||
[[count noun and mass noun]] | |||
===Link=== | |||
[http://www2.let.uu.nl/Uil-OTS/Lexicon/ Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics] | |||
===Other languages=== | |||
German [[Massennomen]] | |||
Revision as of 08:55, 6 October 2007
A mass noun is a noun which refers to something without clear boundaries or individual members, like milk and gold. The opposite of a mass noun is called a count noun.
Comments
In English, mass nouns cannot be pluralized (cf. *milks) and cannot be used with the indefinite article (cf. *a milk) or with numerals (cf. *one milk).
Mass nouns like cattle and furniture are sometimes called collective nouns because they refer to a collection of individuals, but not to any one individual.
Synonym
See also
Link
Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics
Other languages
German Massennomen